King James Bible: Myths and Realities

Over the centuries, many myths have sprung up about the King James translation of the Bible. Read about some of these, as well as the real answers to questions about the history of this version, in King James Bible: Myths and Realities.

UW Libraries to Host National Exhibition Celebrating 400th Anniversary of King James Bible

September 21, 2012 — The origins, creation and impact of one of history’s most
influential books is the focus of a national traveling exhibition that will be
displayed Oct. 7-31 at the University of Wyoming’s Coe Library.

“Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King
James Bible,” a national traveling exhibition for libraries, will open Sunday,
Oct. 7, at 4:10 p.m. in Room 506 of Coe Library. Renowned Bible translation scholar
Philip Stine will discuss the creation and early reception of the King James
Bible, and be available to sign copies of his book, “Four Hundred Years on the
Best Seller List.”

The year 2011 marked the 400th anniversary of the first printing
of the King James Bible in 1611. The exhibition not only highlights the
dramatic tale behind the making of this great book, but also includes its
influence on English and American literature, and its multifaceted impact on
culture and society to the present day.

The exhibition provides a chronological narrative that
focuses on the human side of this major cultural landmark and explores the
book’s social, cultural, literary and religious influence over four centuries,
from Handel's “Messiah,” Melville's “Moby Dick” and Toni Morrison's “Song of
Solomon” to the reading of Genesis -- in the King James Bible version -- by
astronauts orbiting the moon.

In addition to the exhibit and other book displays, the American
Heritage Center’s Toppan Library will exhibit Bibles from its rare books
collection, and the Albany County Public Library (ACPL) will host a display of
Bible translations through the ages. ACPL will host the BYUtv film series,
“Fires of Faith: The Coming Forth of the King James Bible.”

For more information, call (307) 766-3279 or visit http://www-lib.uwyo.edu/ and click on the
Manifold Greatness link under “Dusty Shelves” for event details.

The Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C., and the
American Library Association Public Programs Office organized “Manifold
Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible.” It is based on
an exhibition of the same name developed by the Folger Shakespeare Library and
the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, with assistance from the Harry
Ransom Center of the University of Texas. The traveling exhibition was made
possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.